October 05, 2015

MINI-VERTICAL OF DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER'S RECENT FIVE WHITES

October 2nd, 2015

"Domaine de Chevalier, a jewel nestled deep in the pine trees of Bordeaux's Pessac-Léognan, has a long history of producing age-worthy reds and whites. Both show incredible depth of fruit and unique character from the stony soil of the vineyards that span across 45 hectares in Graves.

Many of the reds from the 1950s and 1960s are still excellent now, and its recent vintages seem to hark back to the halcyon days of great winemaking from this estate. In fact, the past eight or nine years could be the best vintages ever from here, says James. Its humble red from the 2013 vintage reminds James of their wines from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s – vintages that could compete with the classic Graves such as Haut-Brion or La Mission Haut-Brion.

Its 2012 red, for instance, shows outstanding aging potential and its latest2014 vintage is already balanced and fine when James tasted it from barrel this year.

But what truly made this winery a world-class estate and a fixture on most wine aficionados’ and collectors’ list is invariably its whites. A blend of semilion and sauvignon blanc, the wines often fetch lofty prices at auctions along with top names such as Haut Brion Blanc and La Mission Haut Brion Blanc. And it ages incredibly well.

Its 2010 blanc is a near perfect wine that shows amazing density and character. One would imagine its 2011 vintage would be hard to compete with the previous year, especiall given the difficult growing season in Bordeaux, its 2011 blanc, however, turns out to be phenomenal quality and is one of the top Bordeaux 2014 releases rated by James. In fact, the success of the vintage for the wine illustrates how great 2011 is for dry white Bordeaux as James wrote earlier, calling it “a year to buy white wines from Bordeaux”. The wine is on pour at our Great Wines of the World event in Hong Kong on November 5 at Four Seasons Hotel. This is your chance to taste the pinnacle of Bordeaux white, get your ticket here.

One thing that impresses James about the chateau's whites is their complexity that is often seen in reds, but rarely in whites. Its 2012 blanc reminds James of the complex character found in a Pessac-Léognan red, and its 2013 blanc has more weight than the reds made in 2013, says James. Its latest 2014 blanc is another stellar wine, dense and mascular with layers of fruit as James comments in the tasting note.

The Bernard family, who purchased the winery in 1983, have everything to do with the sucess of the chateau and with the stellar whites and reds vintage after vintage, they are one of the best winemakers in Bordeaux right now. Below are five whites from 2010 to 2014, ranked by score; click on the names for notes and scores. Natalie Wang, managing editor JamesSuckling.com"

Domaine de Chevalier blanc 2014 : A solid and muscular Domaine de Chevalier with layers of fruit. Very dense, loads of flavor. Full body, bright acidity and a long, long finish. Tangy acidity. It lasts for minutes. 95-96 (March 27th, 2015)

Domaine de Chevalier blanc 2013 : This white is so dense and powerful, with a finish that lasts for minutes. Pear, lemon, grapefruit and loads of minerals. Has more weight than all the red wines made in 2013. Full body. Profound depth. I look forward to tasting this from bottle in a few years. 97-98 (April 4th, 2014)

Domaine de Chevalier blanc 2012 : This is very tender and pretty with very fine elements. Dried lemons, minerals and lilac as well as character of oyster shell and iodine. Full body, yet refined and long. You normally see this sort complex character in reds from Pessac-Leognan. Fascinating young white. 95 (November 14th, 2013)

Domaine de Chevalier blanc 2011 : Amazing nose of dried fruits from peaches to apples to mangos. Pink grapefruit too. Full and very powerful white with an incredible length and intensity. It's like a beautiful block of velvet in your mouth. It goes on for minutes. It becomes so mineraly and subtly fruity at the end. Turns just to honey. Wow 97-98 (April 1st, 2012)

Domaine de Chevalier blanc 2010 : A white with a phenomenal density and richness with creme brulee, apple pie and pear tart character. It's so agile and balanced. Full body, with tangy fruit and a long finish. Crazy intensity and style to this. Speechless. Best dry white from here. Try in 2018. 99 (November 14th, 2013)

Friday, 24 October 2014

The annual Bordeaux tasting at the Royal Opera House was rather less busy than normal, but those who did attend were in up-beat mood. Our friends from Aquitaine arrived fresh from an Indian summer that has lifted spirits and hopes for the 2014s. And it would appear that the worst of the ‘Bordeaux Bashing’ may be over. Clients are beginning to re-visit this once darling region and re-discover their love affair with Claret.

2012 was far from an ideal growing season and the harvest was particularly precarious. Initially we thought this favoured the early ripening Merlots from Pomerol and Pessac. The challenge on the left bank was to wait for maturity and risk dilution and rot or cut one’s losses and harvest before the rain. At the time of the primeur tastings our Chairman said that ‘terroir, technique and timing were all key to success in 2012’. How right he was.

On the evidence of Thursday’s tasting, it is the usual suspects who have risen to the top of the pile. Perennial successes such as Grand Puy Lacoste, Domaine de Chevalier, Malartic Lagraviere, Smith Haut Lafitte and the two Pichons have made beautiful wines with concentration, vitality and freshness. It is not a blockbuster vintage, that is for sure, however, there are wines that will give enormous drinking pleasure and are sensibly priced. Xavier Borie’s GPL and Olivier Bernard’s Domaine de Chevalier Rouge deserve special mention – these are both tremendous value.

At the time of release we were rather negative about Sauternes. We always try to be honest in our assessment and we discouraged clients from buying these wines. It is clearly not a good vintage for sweeties – the wines are at best simple and lack botrytis. When there are so many good Sauternes vintages to choose from, one can quite easily forget about the 2012s altogether.

Those pessimistic about the primeur system said at the time, ‘these are not wines to buy en primeur’, and they have largely been proved right. Many of the 2012s are still available at their opening prices (good news for consumers) – but given how well some of the reds tasted and their relative affordability, they may not be around at these prices for long…

September 12, 2013

Olivier Bernard and his family will be welcoming a
thousand guests on Saturday evening at Domaine de Chevalier, a Graves great
growth, for the traditional Ban des Vendanges (vintage festival). Like the Fête
de la Fleur in spring, the Ban des Vendanges is organised by the Commanderie du
Bontemps, but this time in conjunction with the Crus Classés de Graves…

This great joint celebration will perpetuate the
conviviality and joy that new vintages have always inspired. In fact, Olivier Bernard wanted to
celebrate three different anniversaries on this special occasion:

The 60th anniversary of
the Graves classification(1953)*: Led by Château Haut-Brion (a
first growth in the 1855 classification), these 16 grands crus (producing both
red and white wines) are all located within the Pessac-Léognan appellation,
which starts at the outskirts of the city of Bordeaux. This is the cradle of
the famous Bordeaux vineyards. Above and beyond their finesse and elegance,
these Graves great growths have a unique and strong personality. They also have
an even temperament, reflecting these properties where the owner often lives.
This is certainly the case with Domaine de Chevalier, where Olivier and Anne
Bernard have dwelled for the past thirty years.

The 40th anniverary of
the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (1973): This institution brings together 134 estates recognised
for their demanding standards and the quality of their wines. Members of the
UGC travel to all the continents to provide a travelling showcase for the
excellent wines produced in Bordeaux and enjoyed around the world. Olivier
Bernard was elected President of the Union des Grands Crus in early 2013.

The 30th anniversary of
the Bernard family at Domaine de Chevalier. In 1983,
the world’s leading firm on the “eau-de-vie” market asked Olivier, aged 23, to
be in charge of Chevalier, where he has been at the helm for the past 30 years.
This estate, well-known by wine lovers, progressed greatly thanks to Olivier's
demanding, dynamic management, and now has an extremely fine international
reputation. The work he has done is impressive. The perfectly-tended vineyard
has grown significantly and every part of the cellars has been updated and
improved, with a long-term perspective in mind.

Chef Jean
Coussau (from the two-star, Relais
de la Poste restaurant) will be coming from the Landes to prepare a
dinner to accompany wines from the Crus Classés de Graves. We already know what
one of them will be:

June 05, 2013

In less than 15 days will start Vinexpo, the great World Wine Week in Bordeaux. During this period we will welcome many friends from all over the world.

With the proximity of this international event, we are pleased to introduce to all our friends and followers on social media some views shot by an "unusual machine" during the last harvest. After flying over the pickers, it came into the cellars…

Here is a “making-of” in our cellars captured with a smartphone by a rather amazed spectator...

This is very tender and pretty with very fine
elements. Dried lemons, minerals and lilac as well as character of oyster
shell and iodine. Full body, yet refined and long. You normally see this sort
complex character in reds from Pessac-Léognan. Fascinating young white.

BETTANE-DESSEAUVE

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc : 16,5 ;
17

Assez
gras, moins vif à la naissance que
2011 mais très complexe.

WINE SPECTATOR - James MOLESWORTH

Domaine de Chevalier White 2012 Score: 91-94

Good, floral-framed style, with honeysuckle and
chamomile notes followed by Meyer lemon, meringue and shortbread flavors.
Very juicy through the finish, with a nice stony backdrop for added cut.
—J.M.

Review:
93–95. Barrel sample. Complex, rounded and full bodied,
this wine is still reticent at the moment, hiding its rich fruit. As it
develops, this will be impressive, with its mineral texture over apricot
fruits and layers of spice and wood. - R.V. Rating: 94

Jancis
ROBINSON

Domaine de
Chevalier Blanc 201217 Drink 2014-2024

Sweet and rather oily start. Lots of weight. Could
only be Pessac-Léognan – tant mieux! Big and beefy but not sweet. I admire
this style – for food. Long, with an admirably dry finish.

Robert PARKER-Wine Advocate

Domaine de Chevalier
Pessac-Léognan
WHITE : 93-95

A gorgeous effort, the 2012 Domaine de Chevalier,
made from a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon that reached 13.5%
natural alcohol, boasts abundant notes of creme brulee, lemon custard, candle
wax and oranges in its beautifully rich, honeyed personality. Great acidity
gives laser-like precision to its component parts. Drink this full-bodied
white wine over the next 2-3 decades.

Tasted from a barrel sample at en primeur. The
Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has a reserved, stony nose that you have to be
patient with – give it a few minutes and there are some subtle undergrowth
scents that begin to emerge, hints of orange blossom and dried apricot. The
palate is well balanced with a delicate touch of spice on the entry. This is
very focused with good weight and it displays wonderful tension on the finish
that offers a Burgundy-like texture. Wonderful. Tasted April 2013.

BERRY BROS
& Rudd

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 16/20

There is a qualitative similarity between 2012 and
2011 for the dry white wines of the Graves, high praise indeed given the
undoubted quality of the latter. However the summer of 2012 was hotter and
drier, giving what Remi Edange at Domaine de Chevalier called a "pulpeux"
quality to the wines. That is to say a fleshy and juicy character. This 2012
white is very impressive with a bright firm fruit showing citrus and stoney
flavours in equal measure. As usual as 70/30 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and
Semillon, this is sure to be an outstanding wine once it has finished its
maturation in oak. Mark Pardoe MW,
Wine Buying Director

Izak LITWAR – GREAT BORDEAUX WINES

Domaine de
Chevalier had fine aromatic nose of apple and acacia, refined and lush palate
with fine acidity, fine balance, great complexity and smooth aftertaste. Classy
wine as always, but is a bit lighter than usual in this vintage. 94-95p.

One of the stars of
the vintage, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet
of red and black currants, graphite, subtle flowers and well-integrated,
toasty oak. Impressively built rich and medium to full-bodied without losing
the quintessential elegance and finesse for which this famous estate is
renowned, the 2012 Domaine de Chevalier is filled with purity, equilibrium
and balance. The tannins are sweet enough that this wine should be accessible
when released, and will last for 15-20 years. Is this a modern day clone of
their brilliant 1953 ?

James SUCKLING

Domaine de Chevalier red, 201293-94

This shows wonderful
depth of fruit with blackberries, blueberry and spice. Minerals too. Full
body, with beautiful and silky tannins and a long, long finish. Superb finish.
Sensational for the vintage.

A polished, supple
red with velvety tannins and a wonderful array of flavours - plums,
blackberries and sweet spices. There is good depth here with tannins that are
round, supple and ripe. Not one of Domaine de Chevalier's best vintages, but
there is plenty of approachable flavours here to enjoy over the next 8-12
years.(91)

BERRY BROS & Rudd

Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 17/20

This is one of my top
five ‘must haves’ this year…again! I have bought it for my own cellar every year since 2004. It’s just
heavenly and you know, because Olivier Bernard is a pragmatic realist, that
it is going to be priced at a level where we can all indulge ourselves a
little. It is multi-layered, sophisticated but still generous. Pure yet
decadent, it has such silky tannins that you have to go digging about in the
glass to find any at all. It also has the honour of having the
longest finish of any wine we tasted during the en primeur tasting week.
This is an outstanding wine from 2012. Drink 2018-2035. Simon Staples, Asia Director

Neal
MARTIN

Domaine de Chevalier
Rouge 92-94

Tasted from a barrel
sample at en primeur. The Domaine de Chevalier has a lovely understated, very
pure, quite feminine bouquet with seamlessly integrated oak that neatly
encases the blackberry and blueberry fruit. There is a floral note that
emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins. There
is a real backbone to this Pessac-Leognan, although the structured is
disguised behind layers of velvety tannins. Gorgeous – but it deserves
several years in the cellar. Tasted April 2013.

May 16, 2013

This morning at 8 a.m., brokers and
negociants of Bordeaux released Domaine de Chevalier Primeur 2012, white and
red, to their customers.

This is for me, once again, the
opportunity to thank the actors of the Place de Bordeaux, the great
professionals with whom we work closely. With them throughout the year, we fly
to the four corners of the world to showcase Bordeaux wines.

The opportunity also to express my
gratitude to all those who, in recent weeks, journalists, bloggers, importers
... came to Bordeaux to taste the wines, loved the beautiful Domaine de
Chevalier 2012 and recommended to their customers, or to the readers in the
press and on blogs.

One explanation for these beautiful
ratings ? The Chevalier 2012, was born of a constant, rigorous work, even more
uncompromising than usual, conducted by all the team, from spring until the
last day of the harvest. Despite a particularly facetious nature during this
period, the vineyard has maintained perfect conditions which allowed to mature
white and red high quality fruit, deep expression of this “terroir” of Chevalier. Those who
know me know that I like to remind that :

April 15, 2013

Each year, during En Primeur Week, we have great pleasure to be visited, at Domaine de Chevalier, by our friends wine merchants coming from around the world. The opportunity of course to taste the wines of the Domaine, but also other great wines of Bordeaux, or else ... and in the year 2013, "3" are honored... (short smartphone video)